Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T19:17:03.925Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The performance of dairy cows with access to self-feed silage offered concentrates from a free-access dispenser

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. S. Chalmers ,
F. R. Moisey  and
J. D. Leaver
J. S. Chalmers
Affiliation:
West of Scotland Agricultural College, Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries DG1 4SZ
F. R. Moisey
Affiliation:
West of Scotland Agricultural College, Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries DG1 4SZ
J. D. Leaver
Affiliation:
West of Scotland Agricultural College, Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries DG1 4SZ
Get access

Abstract

In two experiments cows with access to self-feed grass silage were offered concentrates either twice daily in the milking parlour at a fixed level (controls) or in addition given free-access to a concentrate dispenser sited in the self-feed area (dispenser). A time-lapse mechanism on the dispenser limited successive 1 kg feeds to a minimum of 10 min in experiment 1 and 5 min in experiment 2. The ‘dispenser’ cows had significantly greater total concentrate intakes than had the controls (10·4 v. 7·1 kg/day in experiment 1, 13·4 v. 7·3 kg/day in experiment 2), but there was a large variation in intake between individuals. Access to the dispenser increased milk yields only slightly, reduced milk fat concentration and increased milk protein concentration and live-weight gain. Following turnout to grass in the spring, there was evidence that the cows that had been on the dispenser treatment showed a faster rate of decline in milk yield than did the controls, and this was supported by lower lactation yields in the dispenser group.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , August 1984 , pp. 17 - 23
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Agricultural Development and Advisory Service. 1978. Cow activated concentrate dispensers, outside the milking parlour. West Midland Region. Record of Investigations, 1977 (Agriculture), pp. 202–210.Google Scholar
Alexander, R. H. and McGowan, Mary. 1969. The assessment of the nutritive value of silage by determination of in vitro digestibility on homogenates prepared from fresh undried silage. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 24: 195–198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Armstrong, D. G. and Prescott, J. H. D. 1971. Amount, physical form and composition of feed and milk secretion in the dairy cow. In Lactation (ed. Falconer, I. R.), pp. 349–377. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Broster, W. H. 1972. Effect on milk yield of the cow of the level of feeding during lactation. Dairy Sci. Abstr. 34: 265–288.Google Scholar
Broster, W. H., Clough, P. A., Clements, A. June and Siviter, J. W. 1982. Electronically controlled feeding troughs for dairy cows: some nutritional implications. J. Dairy Res. 49: 545–557.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carstairs, J. A., Neitzel, R. R. and Emery, R. S. 1981. Energy and phosphorus status as factors affecting postpartum performance and health of dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 64: 34–41.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clough, P. A. 1977. Machine milking in cowsheds and milking parlours. In Machine Milking (ed. Thiel, C. C. and Dodd, F. H.), Tech. Bull. 1, pp. 201–230. National Institute for Research in Dairying, Reading.Google Scholar
Flatt, W. P., Moe, P. W., Munson, A. W. and Cooper, T. 1969. Energy utilisation by high producing dairy cows. II. Summary of energy balance experiments with lactating Holstein cows. In Energy Metabolism of Farm Animals (ed. Blaxter, K. L., Kielanowski, J. and Thorbek, Greta), pp. 235–249. Oriel Press, Newcastle upon Tyne.Google Scholar
Gordon, F. J. 1981. Feed input-milk output relationships in the spring-calving dairy cow. In Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition—1980. (ed. Haresign, W.), pp. 15–31. Butterworth, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kesler, E. M. and Spahr, S. L. 1964. Physiological effects of high level concentrate feeding. J. Dairy Set. 47: 1122–1128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kincaid, R. L. and Cronrath, J. D. 1982. Milk yield and metabolic measures of cows fed grain free choice during early lactation. J. Dairy Sci. 65: 740–745.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laird, R., Leaver, J. D., Moisey, F. R. and Castle, M. E. 1981. The effects of concentrate supplements on the performance of dairy cows offered grass silage ad libitum. Anim. Prod. 33: 199–209.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. 1975. Energy allowances and feeding systems for ruminants. Tech. Bull. 33. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Moisey, F. R. and Leaver, J. D. 1979. A comparison of a three- with a two-cut silage system for dairy cattle. Anim. Prod. 28: 422 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Owens, M. J., Muller, L. D., Rook, J. A. and Ludens, F. C. 1978. Evaluation of magnetic grain feeder for lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 61: 1590–1597.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parker, J. W. G. 1981. The effect of stocking rate and concentrate intake upon the feeding behaviour of milking cows at a self-feed silage face. Anim. Prod. 32: 393 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Reynolds, Vivien S. and Campling, R. C. 1981. Competition for feed between dairy cows. Anim. Prod. 32: 366 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Rook, J. A. F. 1976. Nutritional influences on milk quality. In Principles of Cattle Production (ed. Swan, H. and Broster, W. H.), pp. 221–236. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Rossing, W. 1979. Concentrate feeding of dairy cows. In Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition—1978 (ed. Haresign, W. and Lewis, D.), pp. 149–157. Butterworth, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steen, R. W. J. and Gordon, F. J. 1980. The effect of type of silage and level of concentrate supplementation offered during early lactation on total lactation performance of January/February calving cows. Anim. Prod. 30: 341–354.Google Scholar
Suiion, J. D., Broster, W. H., Schuller, E., Smith, T. and Napper, D. J. 1977. Long-term effect of level of intake and diet composition on the performance of lactating dairy cows. 3. Milk composition and rumen fermentation. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 36: 147A (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Vernon, R. G. 1981. Lipid metabolism in the adipose tissue of ruminant animals. In Lipid Metabolism in Ruminant Animals (ed. Christie, W. W.), pp. 279–362. Pergamon Press, Oxford.CrossRefGoogle Scholar